Kjell Olofsson ended Rangers' 16-match unbeaten run in domestic competitions today and opened up the Premier League title race in the process.

Dundee United's Swedish striker scored the winner on the stroke of half-time to ease relegation fears for his team, who had Magnus Skoldmark sent off in the second half.

Rangers remain 10 points clear at the top with Celtic in action tomorrow - but the warning signs are clear after a traumatic 90 minutes this afternoon.

Ibrox manager Dick Advocaat pleaded with the club's fans to pump up the volume during this game.

The Ibrox boss said in his programme notes he felt the ground was too quiet in the last two games against Motherwell and Falkirk.

But the only sounds emanating from the home support at the end were those of disbelief and derision.

Rangers' Scotland midfielder Barry Ferguson was sidelined with a groin strain, casting doubts about his fitness for the Euro 2000 qualifier against Bosnia next Saturday.

United, who clinched a semi-final place in the Tennents Scottish Cup this week, welcomed back defender Jason de Vos after suspension and gave a debut to Scott McCulloch.

Rangers began at a furious pace and could have been well ahead as early as the 10th minute.

Andrei Kanchelskis dragged a shot inches wide of the post inside the first 60 seconds after Giovanni van Bronckhorst had cleverly dummied a crossfield ball from Jorg Albertz.

United goalkeeper Sieb Dykstra made two marvellous blocks from Jonatan Johansson during this spell, and John Eustace scrambled away a teasing cross from Neil McCann.

Then Kanchelskis knocked the ball over the top from close range after Dykstra had turned away a header from Rod Wallace.

But Rangers struggled to sustain their early pressure, and the crowd were becoming increasingly frustrated. United were beginning to make a decent fist of it and growing in confidence.

Rangers goalkeeper Stefan Klos made a superb save from Billy Dodds, tipping the ball over the top after Olofsson had delivered the cross from the right.

United took the lead on the stroke of half-time as the Rangers defence was caught cold.

Eustace, on loan from Coventry, sprang the offside trap, and Olofsson hammered the ball high into the net.

Advocaat decided to go for broke after the break, leaving defender Scott Wilson in the dressing room and bringing on an extra striker in Gabriel Amato.

Rangers began the second half the way they had started the first - on the attack. But Dykstra and his defensive pals were proving to be a formidable collective barrier.

However, the game took a dramatic turn in the 64th minute when United's cause appeared to be weakened.

They were reduced to 10 men when defender Skoldmark was dismissed for his second bookable offence.

Skoldmark had scored the winner against Ayr in midweek to secure United's passage into the Cup semi-finals and a meeting with Celtic.

But his rash challenge against McCann left his team-mates facing a nerve-shredding final 26 minutes.

Argentinian striker Amato should have pulled Rangers level in the 73rd minute when Albertz delivered a fine through ball - but his soft shot was easily taken by Dykstra.

Then the burly front man headed over from close range five minutes later as Rangers surged forward in search of the equaliser.

It almost proved a dangerous tactic as the industrious Dodds sent Olofsson racing clear with the Rangers defence hopelessly stretched.

However, he couldn't capitalise on the golden opportunity, hitting his shot straight at Klos with 10 minutes remaining.

Teams

Rangers: Klos, Porrini, Amoruso, Wilson (Amato 45), Vidmar (Miller 74), Kanchelskis, Van Bronckhorst, Albertz, McCann, Wallace, Johansson.Subs Not Used: McInnes, Nicholson, McGregor.

Booked: Amoruso.

Dundee Utd: Dykstra, Jonsson, Duffy, De Vos, Skoldmark, McCullock, Easton, Hannah, Eustace (Patterson 74), Dodds,Olofsson (Mathie 83).

Subs Not Used: Miller, Thompson, Gallacher.

Sent Off: Skoldmark (64).

Booked: Dodds, Skoldmark, Dykstra.

Goals: Olofsson 44.

Att: 49,164

Ref: M Clark (Edinburgh).